Electrons Ejected with Half the Projectile Velocity and the Saddle Point Mechanism in Ion-Atom Collisions

Journal Article · Mon Aug 21 00:00:00 EDT 2000 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.85.1634· OSTI ID:20217483

Sidky, Emil Y; Illescas, Clara; Lin, C D

Full three-dimensional ejected electron momentum distributions for proton impact ionization of atomic hydrogen are calculated for impact energies 10 through 50 keV. The distributions show a peak in the longitudinal momentum at half the projectile impact velocity: the v/2 peak. A quantitative assessment of saddle point ionization, based on quantum and classical analysis, reveals that the v/2 peak is a false indicator for this mechanism. The influence of the potential saddle on ionization is seen to decrease rapidly from 10 to 50 keV. (c) 2000 The American Physical Society.

• OSTI ID: 20217483
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 85, Issue 8; Other Information: PBD: 21 Aug 2000; ISSN 0031-9007
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS
ION-ATOM COLLISIONS
ELECTRON EMISSION
HYDROGEN
LONGITUDINAL MOMENTUM
IONIZATION
THEORETICAL DATA